Rotary explosion-engine.



I. B. HUMPHREYS.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE.

APILIOATION FILED JAN. '1

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. B. HUMPHREYS.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-7,1911.

f 1 003 263 1 Patented Sefit. 12,1911.

IRA BO YD HUMPHREYS, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

ROTARY EXPLOSiON-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 7, 1911.

Patented Sept. 12, "1911. Serial No. 601,464.

To all whom it may 0011 cam:

Be it known that I, IRA BOYD HUMPHREYS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Explosion- Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary explosion engines, the primary object of which is to provide an improved construction in which the explosive charge is drawn therein, compressed and exploded as the driving element or piston is revolved- Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary explosion'engine of the compression type, which comprises a rotating piston and two abutments, which rotate in the same direction as the piston, whereby an explosive charge is drawn within the cylinder compressed, exploded and exhausted.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a sectional view of one form of my improved rotary explosion engine. Figs. 2,-

3 and 4 are sectional views showing thepositions 0f the piston and rotary abutments when transferring the compressed charge from the compression chamber to the explosion chamber. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the positions of the piston and rotary abutments while the expansion of the ignited gas is acting upon the piston. Fig.

6 is a v1ew of a semi-rigid or spring connection from the abutments to the gears which "drive them. Fig. 7 shows a way of packing the rotary abutment which does not require a flexible connection between the rotary abutment and the gears.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1-the cylinder 1 is of approximately circular form and has communicating therewith a sub or auxiliary cylinder 2 of approximately circular form and a sub or auxiliary cylinder 3, communicating with the main cylinder 1, and diametrically opposite the cylinder 2. Revolubly placed within the main cylinder 1 is a piston 4, which is approximately oval in cross-section. Revolubly located in the cylinder 2 is a revoluble abutment 5, approximately of the same cross-sectional shape as the piston 4, and revolubly located in the cylinder 3, is a revoluble abutment 6 of the same cross-sectional shape as the revoluble abutment 5. The shaft 7, of the piston 4 has fast thereon a gear 8; the shaft9 of the abutment 5 has secured thereto a gear 10 and the shaft 11, of the abutment 6 has secured thereto a gear 12. Located between and meshing with the ears 8 and 10 is an idler gear 14, and loca ed between the gears 8 and 12 is an idler gear 15. All of these gears are situated outside of the cylinders and they are of the same diameter. By reason of the idler gears 14 and 15, the piston 4 and the revoluble abutments 5 and 6, all rotate in the same direction. The

piston 4 is'of such length that the packed ends 16 and 17 tightly engage the inner surfaces of the curved wall of the cylinder 1, and the revoluble abutments 5 and 6 are made of such a length that their packed ends 18, 19 and 21 tightly engage the inner surfaces of the cylinders 2 and 3. The revoluble abutments 5 and 6 are of the same length and, consequently, the interior areas, of the cylinders 2 and 3 are identical.

An intake port 22 communicates with the main cylinder 1 at its junction with and at one side of the cylinder 3, andexhaust ports 23 are located at the other side of the cylin der 3.

' With the ports in the position shown in Fig. 1, the space 24 at one side of the piston 4 and between its end 25and the adjacent side of the revoluble abutment 5, constitutes a compression chamber; while the space 26 between the opposite side of the end 25 of the piston and the adjacent end of the revoluble abutment 6 constitutes an intake chamber and the space 27 between the end 28 of the piston 4 (at the opposite side of .the piston from the space 24) and the abutment 6, constitutes an exhaust chamber, while the space 29 between the opposite side of the end 28 of. the piston 4 and abutment 5 constitutes an explosion chamber.

Fig. 6 shows a spring connection bet-ween the rotary abutments 56, and the gears 10 and 12 which drive them, constructed as follows: The ring 31 is keyed to the shafts 9 and 11, shafts 9 and 11 being keyed to the rotary abutments 5-6. This ring 31 has two lugs 33 diametrically opposite each other. The gears 10 and 12 are not rigid to shafts 9 and 11. The'gears 9 and 11 are fitted with two lugs 32 in such position as to limit the turning of the lugs 33; hence ring 31 has a play of about three degrees. The pins 34 are attached to lugs32 through holes in lugs 33. These pins hold in place springs 36, the tension of which is regulated by the nuts 35. This flexible connection is for the purpose of holding the sides X-X of the tips of the rotary abutments in contact with the surface a of the piston 4 whilethe contact is between the packed end 16 of the piston and the points yy,' and between end 17 and points y'-y.

in Fig. 1 and running to the left as shownby arrow) the rotary abutments are held back against the spring 36 (against the direction of rotation) by contact with the surface a. When the contact occurs past the point y, and up to the position shown in Fig. 2, the rotary abutments are forced (by contact with (1) against the springs 36 and in the direction of rotation. This flexible connect-ion is one way of keeping the contact point tight. This can also be accomplished with the gear held rigid to the rotary abutment shaft,'by-packing the entire point as in Fig. 7. i

The operation of the construction above described is as follows: An explosive mixture has been previously drawn into the chamber 24 by the end 28 of the piston 4,

while .itwas passing through the said space.

With the parts shown in the positions in Fig. 1, the explosive charge in the space 24 is being compressed between the end 25 and the piston and the revoluble abutment 5. The previously compressed charge is being exploded in the explosion chamber 29 and the previously exploded charge is being exhausted from the chamber 27 As the piston revolves inthe direction indicated. by arrow,

the abutments 5 and 6 are revolved in the same direction as is also indicated by arrows, and the packed end 19 of the abutment 5 remains in contact withthe surface a, of the piston until the said packed end 19 and the end 25 of ,the piston meet, as shown in Fig. 2, at which time the compressed gas is transferred-into the space 29 of the cylinder 2. After the packed ends 19 and, 16 have passed, then the packed end 16 of the piston 4, is in engagement with the lower surface of the revolving' abutment 5 (Fig. 3) until the packed end ofthepiston and the packedend ofth'eabutment 5 have passed each0ther:(Fig-L; 4), atwhich time the compressed "gas: ijsf transferr'ed t-o the explosion m r, 2 ffAssc onjas the acked end 16 of the'piston hasjpassedfthe ignition plug 30, thecOmpressed' charge, is ignited, and it expands and drives the piston 4 in the direction indicated by arrow-.1 I This expansion i 3 occurs between theend 25 of the piston' and t w i l mi t '(.F a.5.).; r q abutment 6; separates, the intake A port 22, and, also the intake chamber from the exhaust chamber 27, and the abutment 5, together with the piston separates the transfer chamber 29 and the explosion chamber 29 from thecompression chamber 24.

I Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: m

1. An explosion engine of the compression type, comprising a main cylinder, two auxiliary cylinders in communication therewith, an oval-shaped revoluble piston in the main cylinder and of a length fitting the internal diameter of the cylinder, a revoluble abutment in each auxiliary cylinder, the

abutments being oval-shaped and of a length fitting the cylinders, means for revolving the abutments and the piston in the same direction, the shape of the piston being such and the location of the abutments such that the ends of the abutments engage the sides of the piston and the ends of the piston engage the sides of the abutments as the arts are revolved, an intake port at one si e of one of the auxiliary cylinders and an exhaust port at the other side, andig'nition means located adjacent the other auxiliary cylinder and between it and the exhaust ports.

2. A rotary explosion engine of the compression type, comprising a cylinder having auxiliary cylinders in communication therewith and located diametrically opposite each other, intake and exhaust ports located at opposite sides of one of the auxiliary cylinders, an oval-shaped piston in the main cylin'der and of a length to have its ends engage the inner wall of the cylinder, a compression and explosive controlling rev oluble abutment in one of the auxiliary cylinders, a revoluble abutment in the other auxiliary cylinder, said revoluble abutments oval-shaped and of a length to have their ends engage the interior surfaces of their cylinders, a rigid gearwheel' on the axes of the piston,"gear wheels on the axes-of the abutments, idler gear wheels between said gears and operatively connecting them, the driving and driven gears of the same diameter, and ignition means between the compression and explosive controlling abutment and the exhaust port, the parts operating substantially as described.

3. A rotary explosion engine of the com-- the engaging surfaces of the abutments and the piston 1n contact, and an ignition de vice.

5. A rotary;explosion engine of the com 'pression type, comprising a main cylinder,

auxiliary cylinders-1n communication therewith, oval-shaped revoluble piston .in the main cylinder, oval-shaped revoluble abutments-in the auxiliary cylinders and cooperatin with the piston substantially as describe driving means between the piston and abutments, said driving means having a yieldin movement independent of the abutments or the purpose described.

6. A rotary engine of the compression ment gears lnders mcommunication therewith,a revoluble pistonin the main cylinder,. revoluble abutments'in the auxiliary cylinders and,

cooperating with the piston, substantially as described, meshing gears operatively connecting the piston and abutments, the abutaving spring connections with theabutments for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. in the presence of two witnesses.

IR A BOYD HUMPHREYS. Witnesses:

S .,W. Eoxmon,

C. F. CLAY. 

